Concussion

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By Jennifer Navarro MSN, RN, NPD-BC

Introduction

A concussion is a type of brain injury that happens when your head or body gets hit or shaken so hard that your brain moves inside your skull. This can happen if you fall, get hurt playing sports, are in a car accident, or are attacked. People sometimes call a concussion a "mild traumatic brain injury," but it can range from mild to more serious. You don't always have to be hit directly on the head—any strong impact that causes your head to move quickly can lead to a concussion.

Clinical Symptoms

A concussion may cause immediate or delayed loss of consciousness.  The most common signs of a mild concussion are headaches, feeling sick to your stomach, throwing up, feeling sleepy and or feeling dizzy. People with a concussion may also have trouble sleeping, which can be related to these other symptoms.

What Do I do?

• If you think someone might have a concussion, the first thing to do is make sure there isn’t a serious injury. If the person passes out, loses their balance, has shaking or jerking movements like a seizure, or has any obvious signs of a bad injury, they should see a doctor right away.

  
  

• Once you know it’s not something more serious, the person should rest both physically and mentally for the next 24 to 48 hours. That means taking it easy and not doing any hard exercise or activities. After a day or two, they can slowly start doing a little more, but only if it doesn’t make their symptoms worse. If they start to feel bad again, they should stop and try again the next day or wait until they feel okay.

  
  

• It’s also important to give the brain a break. This means avoiding things that take a lot of thinking or concentration, like working on the computer, reading for a long time, or being in loud, bright places. The brain needs time to heal, so keeping things quiet and calm can help recovery.

  
  

Symptom Management

Besides getting plenty of rest, there are a few simple things you can do to feel better after a concussion:

• Headache: You can ask your doctor if it's okay to take regular pain medicine like Tylenol (acetaminophen) or Advil (ibuprofen). If your doctor says it's fine, only use these medicines for a couple of days—don’t keep taking them for too long.

  
  

• Nausea: Feeling sick to your stomach often goes away on its own. If it doesn’t, your doctor might give you medicine to help, like Zofran (ondansetron), but you should only use it for a day or two after you get hurt. Follow your doctors instructions.

  
  

• Sleep Problems: It’s common to feel tired or have trouble sleeping after a concussion, sometimes because of headaches or nausea. Giving your brain a break can help—try to keep things quiet, avoid loud noises and bright lights, and stay away from screens or anything that needs a lot of focus

  
  

Remember, if your symptoms are getting worse or not going away, check in with your doctor. Your symptoms should start to go away in about a week.

When should I call for help?

Someone should call 911 if you:

• Have blood or clear fluid coming from your ears or nose

• Can’t wake up fully

• Seem confused or don’t know where you are

• Act strangely or suddenly behave differently

• Have trouble walking

• Can’t speak clearly or your speech is slurred

• Are very weak or can’t move an arm, leg, or one side of your face

• Have a seizure (your body shakes or jerks and you can’t control it)

References

UpToDate. 2024. Evans, R., Whitlow, C., 2024. Acute mild traumatic brain injury (concussion) in adults.

Assessed and Endorsed by the MedReport Medical Review Board